


i don't hate you

by orphan_account



Category: American Girl Dolls - All Media Types, Girl of the Year
Genre: F/F, Femslash, Fluff, Future Fic, girl of the year - Freeform, really gay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-17
Updated: 2016-03-17
Packaged: 2018-05-27 05:20:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6271393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chrissa and Tara come to some realizations in high school.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i don't hate you

The persistent rain of the past few days finally let up as Tara walked home from Edgewater High. She was glad not to have swim practice today, in fact, she was growing tired of swim team. 

But there was one reason she continued to be on the team, and that reason was right there, climbing into an old Honda Civic. 

Tara couldn't believe her luck.  
She shouted Chrissa's name and waved a hand. The girl looked at her in surprise, but recognition quickly settled into her sweet features. 

"Tara! I haven't seen you in so long." 

She was quick to smile. 

"You still live on the next street over, right? I can give you a ride."

"I don't want you going out of your way," Tara said, but she was already at the passenger door. 

She studied the girl driving for a moment, appreciating the way her pale blue sweater matched her eyes. Chrissa's hair was shorter now, in what Tara's mother would call some form of pixie cut. 

Tara didn't care what it was called- she thought Chrissa looked cute and told her so. Chrissa was flustered and glanced over at the blonde.

"You look great too."

"I know," Tara said, a smirk on her face.

Chrissa was oddly pleased that Tara still said things like that, but eternally grateful the girl had changed so much since fourth grade. Her hair was still long and beautiful, still in that infuriating ponytail.

"I heard you might get a scholarship to Duluth. For swim team," Tara said brightly. 

"Yeah. I'm excited. A little nervous, too."

"Don't be. You're amazing at swimming, you made varsity as a sophomore." 

Tara hadn't even accomplished that feat. Chrissa shifted the pressure off herself.

"How's cheerleading?"

Tara couldn't fight a smile at the knowledge that Chrissa kept track of her as well. She had started cheerleading in sixth grade, her small stature and confidence from diving helping extensively.

"It's fantastic. We're off for the season, but everyone says I'll be captain next year."

They neared the crossroads of their streets and Chrissa hesitated.

"Do you want to come over, maybe? You could stay for dinner if you want. Like old times."

Tara felt a little dizzy, but she nodded.

"I'd love to."

The house was just as Tara remembered it from that glorious summer, the one where things changed, and Chrissa became someone she liked. Lion statues still guarded the front doors. 

Tyler, Chrissa's older brother, was there, now a senior, but playing video games on the sofa with a friend. He greeted Chrissa, but looked at Tara in surprise.

"Tara? Is that you? I haven't seen you since... eighth grade?"

"Yes, it's me."

The lake was exactly as Tara remembered as well, only now, in spring, a few wildflowers littered the emerald green grass. Chrissa reached down to pick a flower, then another. Tara joined her giddily. Before long, they both held colorful bouquets.

Chrissa went to sit at the dock.

They say together, legs dangling over the edge, over the water that was too cold to swim in at the moment. And they were close together, close enough that their shoulders brushed if Tara relaxed. 

She didn't.

Chrissa began to tell Tara how her life had gone since they'd stopped talking after middle school. She occasionally worked at her father's pottery studio, but what she really wanted to do was be a school counselor. She still liked making paper crafts, and knitting.

Chrissa was still great friends with Gwen, editor of the school newspaper, and Sonali, who was headed for some Ivy League college back east. 

As for Tara, her parents had gotten a divorce. Her father had never been around much, so there wasn't much of a difference. Tara's mother had her work at the salon, when she wasn't busy with homework or sports. 

She was still best friends with Jadyn, who was student body president, and also a cheerleader.

Tara didn't tell Chrissa this, but she had also recently come to terms with herself- her feelings toward girls. That was a major step in the right direction.

Sitting there next to Chrissa made sense. She could almost hear the scattered pieces of her life click into place. Chrissa was the girl she had once been horrible to, the girl who put a little ache in her heart now, because Tara cared just a little too much about Chrissa Maxwell.

Tara offered her bouquet of wildflowers to her, blushing red.

Chrissa stuttered a thank you and the feeling was almost tangible.

What would a nice girl like her want with Tara, really? Tara had always been fearless, a stupidly brash risk-taker.

Tara was petrified.

Birds chirped. Clouds covered the sun. The water of Lake Chandler rippled. 

The flowers, so carefully picked, lay next to Chrissa, forgotten. The world shrunk down to two girls on a precipice, feeling both warm and madly stupid.

They would have stayed like that forever if Chrissa hadn't done it.

She leaned in and kissed Tara, softly, like the touch of a butterfly wing.  
Tara felt like she was tripping over her own two feet.

So naturally, she leaned in and kissed Chrissa again, decisively.

Chrissa tasted so sugary sweet.

Tara rested her head on Chrissa's shoulder.

"Chrissa... you know I'm sorry for-"

Another kiss took the words from Tara's mouth.

"I know. You've apologized enough."

"But-"

"I don't hate you, Tara. Not at all."

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic so don't kill me. I just always kind of shipped these two, even if Tara was a bully at first- I liked the friendship she developed with Chrissa later.


End file.
